No critical story in local press - Doha Notebook 26
Vegetation, including trees, on the side of a road in the Qatari capital, Doha.
What you need to know:
Qatar has not spared its efforts to green the country, and where it is not natural, artificial turf fills up the space.
- The government also planted some 16,000 trees around the precincts of all eight stadiums that have been used at this World Cup.
It’s a desert but plenty of greenery around
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Surprisingly, there is a lot of greenery in Doha and its surroundings. Leafy, green trees lining the motorways and suburban streets, healthy looking hedges in building compounds and lush green lawns. A closer look will reveal extensive piping of water in these areas to give water and life to the plants. Even the main expressways are lined with trees as far as the eyes can see.
Qatar has not spared its efforts to green the country, and where it is not natural, artificial turf fills up the space. The government also planted some 16,000 trees around the precincts of all eight stadiums that have been used at this World Cup.
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Qatar national day coincides with Cup final
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How apt that the Fifa World Cup date of December 18, tomorrow, is also the Qatar national day. The Amiri Diwan -- the seat of the rule of the state of Qatar, officially announced the day as a holiday this week.
Many national activities will take place during the day involving sports and cultural engagements and military presentations not unlike those carried out in East African states.
Similarly to East Africa, here many business organizations have bought space in the media to congratulate and greet the Qatari leader, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. It is the day, in 1878, when the country 's founder, Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani set up the pillars of the modern state of Qatar.
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No critical story in local press
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They say that the media is a marketplace of ideas where all voices are heard and every view accommodated under democracy. An observation of stories appearing in the Qatari media would make you think that everything is rosy in the country.
Stories are decidedly one sided, all painting Qatar in a good light. There is no dissident, no criticism or even alternative view on, say, how the World Cup has been organised, the activities of the government or thoughts of its people.
Everything about Qatar, from the lenses of local media, glitters like gold. Interestingly, reading and watching local media content will make you believe the country is nirvana.
